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Bound by a contract, torn by the past, and tested by fate--is a second chance at love worth fighting for? Vanya Moon never imagined she would marry the man who once broke her heart. But when Rex Patterson, a billionaire with icy charm, offers a deal to save her brother's failing business, she has no choice. Their marriage is strictly business, yet old feelings resurface-passion, pain, and a love neither can forget. As hidden truths emerge and family pressures mount, their fragile bond is tested. When Rex discovers Vanya's secret-twin sons he never knew-he must fight to win her trust and reclaim their love. Will their second chance be enough to heal the wounds of the past?
The scent of vanilla candles filled the air, mingling with the faint aroma of the chocolate cake Vanya Moon had baked herself. The dining table in her small apartment was decorated with gold balloons and streamers. A carefully wrapped box sat in the center, containing the custom watch she'd spent months saving for.
Tonight, she had everything planned. It wasn't just Rex Patterson's birthday-it was the night she was going to tell him their lives were about to change forever.
She glanced at her reflection in the mirror one last time, smoothing down her navy-blue dress. A tiny flutter of nerves tickled her stomach, but she brushed it aside. Rex loved her. She was certain of it.
Her phone buzzed, interrupting her thoughts.
"Are you on your way?" she asked, her voice filled with excitement.
There was a pause. "I'll see you soon," Rex said, his tone oddly curt. Before she could ask what was wrong, the line went dead.
*********
THREE HOURS LATER
The candles had burned halfway down, the cake untouched. Vanya's excitement had given way to confusion, then worry. She dialed Rex's number again, but it went straight to voicemail.
Her phone chimed. She lunged for it, hoping it was him.
It wasn't. It was a text.
"Check the kitchen counter."
Frowning, Vanya walked over to find a single envelope propped against the wall. Her name was scrawled across the front in Rex's familiar handwriting.
Her fingers shook as she opened it, dread settling in her chest like a stone.
"Vanya, I can't do this anymore. Please don't look for me. I'm sorry. -Rex"
She blinked, reading it again, then again, hoping the words would change.
"What...?" she whispered, her breath hitching.
She grabbed her phone, redialing his number. This time, the robotic voice on the other end crushed her hope entirely: "The number you are trying to reach is no longer in service."
"No," she whispered, shaking her head. "No, no, no!"
Her heart pounded as she grabbed her coat and keys, her mind a blur of questions and fears.
*********
The imposing iron gates to Rex's estate were as cold and unyielding as the security guards standing in front of them.
"I need to see Rex," Vanya said, desperation lacing her voice.
The taller of the two guards shook his head. "Mr. Patterson left strict instructions not to let anyone in."
"Not anyone! I'm his girlfriend!" she snapped, clutching the bars of the gate.
"I'm sorry, ma'am," the guard replied, his tone firm but not unkind.
Vanya stepped back, tears stinging her eyes. "Please," she begged. "I need to talk to him. There's been a mistake."
"There's nothing I can do."
Her knees felt weak, but she refused to let them buckle. She stared at the mansion in the distance, her chest heaving with sobs. The man she loved, the man who had promised her forever, had disappeared without an explanation.
Her trembling hand fell to her stomach as she felt more than the pain of heartbreak.
*********
FIVE YEARS LATER
The sound of clinking glasses filled the conference room as Vanya Moon exchanged firm handshakes with the investors seated around the table. She exuded calm confidence in her tailored black blazer, but beneath her polished exterior, the pressure of the moment weighed heavily.
"Thank you for your time, gentlemen," she said, her tone crisp.
The investors nodded, but their expressions were hesitant. They'd heard the whispers about MoonTech's financial troubles, and the doubts in their eyes made it clear that Vanya had a steep hill to climb.
As the room emptied, her younger brother Damon leaned closer to her, his face etched with worry.
"Vanya, you don't have to do this anymore," he said, his voice low. "You've already sacrificed so much for me-for the company. It's not your responsibility to fix this."
She turned to him, her dark eyes blazing with determination. "You think I'm just going to walk away?"
"Vanya-"
She cut him off, gripping his hand tightly. "Listen to me, Damon. I'm not giving up until you're debt-free, even if it means I have to-"
Her words were interrupted by the sound of the TV in the corner of the room.
"Breaking news," the anchor announced. The screen cut to a photo of a man with sharp features, perfectly styled hair, and a smirk that made Vanya's stomach churn.
Rex Patterson.
Her breath hitched as the image flashed across the screen. The voice of the anchor continued, oblivious to the storm raging inside her.
"Billionaire mogul Rex Patterson is making headlines yet again as investors pour billions into Patterson Empire, citing his unmatched vision and leadership. Sources say this deal could mark one of the largest investments in the company's history."
Vanya stared at the screen, her pulse pounding in her ears. Rex looked smug and untouchable, his wealth and power on full display for the world to see.
Her grip on the edge of the table tightened as a bitter resolve hardened in her chest.
"Vanya," Damon said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You've done enough. You don't have to-"
She cut him off, her voice firm and unwavering.
"Even if it means I have to dine with the devil himself."
She was betrayed, reborn, and given a second chance-not for love, but for justice. Will her vengeance consume her, or will she rewrite her destiny? Betrayed by her mate and best friend, Lira's life ends in a pool of her own blood and broken dreams. Her mate's rejection and the loss of her unborn child shatter her soul. In her dying breath, she calls upon the Moon Goddess for justice. The goddess answers, granting her rebirth-but not as the weak mate she once was. Now reborn as Nora Moonblood, Luna to ruthless and fearsome Alpha of their pack, Lira must navigate a web of loyalty, revenge, and new love. With her past life's memories intact, she sets out to unravel shocking truths about her past, her death, her present and forge a path of vengeance. Will she bring her betrayers to justice or find healing in her new life?
Desperate to handle her grandmother's towering medical bills, Gianna agreed to a contract marriage with Tristan, the enigmatic man she'd once shared a one-night stand with. She assumed they'd fulfill each other's needs and dissolve the arrangement once the terms expired. Unbeknownst to Gianna, this marriage was a dream Tristan had clung to for ten relentless years. Certain she was just filling someone else's role, Gianna prepared to leave when that other woman returned. But Tristan, his eyes burning with unspoken emotion, seized her trembling hand and declared, "You’re mine. Now and always."
Due to the plight of her family, Phoebe had no choice but to embark on the path of selling herself. In an accident, she had a tangled night with Alexander. Everything began to derail, and even if she fled to the ends of the earth, she would still be found by him and entangled... *** Phoebe screamed in frustration, "What do you want from me?" What was this supposed to be? He raised an eyebrow wickedly. "What do I want? You'll find out soon enough." With that, he hoisted her up and carried her back into the office. The door slammed shut with a kick, and he cleared the desk with a sweep of his arm before laying her down on it, his body pinning hers in place, completely trapping her in his grasp. Every cell in his body was telling him he wanted her. He wanted to claim her again. This time, there would be no escape for her-he wouldn't let her slip away. Never again. If he had suffered for five years, then this woman wouldn't get off easily either!
My name is Katia, and I am just trying to survive until my fated mate arrives. Which may be easier said than done. Rejectection is the last straw. Whispering my acceptance of his rejection. I run through the pack house, out across the manicured lawn into the forest. "I'm sorry, my sweet girl," I say to my wolf. I'm sorry you have been stuck with me and have had to suffer everything I have. She whispers," it's not your fault, Katia. We came to a cliff with a waterfall. The hurt keeps pounding at me. I need it to stop. My sweet girl, and I just want peace, I keep running and leap off the cliff. Spreading my arms wide, with tears streaming down my face, I fall, not making a sound, waiting for sweet oblivion where we feel nothing ever again. "I love you, my sweet girl! Until we meet again, "My wolf replied just before we hit the water, "I love you too, Katia. I have never regretted a moment with you." The Snow Moon pack is having their last barbecue of the summer next to the waterfall on their land. The adults are laughing and joking while watching the pups play. The alpha, beta, and gamma are swimming with some of the older children and playing a game of Marco Polo. Someone yells, "Oh my goddess, someone just jumped over the waterfall!" Everyone is frozen as they watch what looks to be a child falling arms spread wide, no one makes a sound. The small body hits the water like a plane crashing into the side of a mountain. The alpha, beta, and gamma, spring into action, swimming towards the area the person went under. The alpha is screaming his wolf is going crazy repeating, "Find her. Find her...find her!" They dive and the beta surfaces with a small person in his arms. Alpha takes the girl from his beta, laying her on the ground. The men are shocked by what they see. She is covered in scars and injuries. Her body is twisted and broken. The Beta asks, "Who could have done this to someone so defenseless?" Alpha drops to his knees, repeating, "MATE...MATE...MATE!"
Marriage was a bed of thorns for Stella. She lived like an overworked and unhappy slave for six years in her matrimonial home. One day, her uncaring husband, Waylon said to her, "Ayla will be back soon. You have to move out tomorrow." "I want a divorce," responded Stella. She left without shedding a tear or trying to change Waylon's stone-cold heart. Days after their divorce, they met again. Stella was in the arms of another man. Waylon's blood boiled at the sight of her looking so happy. "So, you couldn't even wait a while before jumping into another man's arms?" he queried distastefully. "And who are you to question my decision? It's my life, so I call the shots. Stay out of my business!" Stella fired at him before turning to look at her new man with shiny eyes. Waylon immediately lost it.
Joelle thought she could change Adrian's heart after three years of marriage, but she realized too late that it already belonged to another woman. "Give me a baby, and I'll set you free." The day Joelle went into labor, Adrian was traveling with his mistress on his private jet. "I don't care whom you love. My debt is paid. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other." Not long after Joelle left, Adrian found himself begging on his knees. "Please come back to me."
Janet was adopted when she was a kid -- a dream come true for orphans. However, her life was anything but happy. Her adoptive mother taunted and bullied her all her life. Janet got the love and affection of a parent from the old maid who raised her. Unfortunately, the old woman fell ill, and Janet had to marry a worthless man in place of her parents' biological daughter to meet the maid's medical expenses. Could this be a Cinderella's tale? But the man was far from a prince, except for his handsome appearance. Ethan was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family who lived a reckless life and barely made ends meet. He got married to fulfill his mother's last wish. However, on his wedding night, he had an inkling that his wife was different from what he had heard about her. Fate had united the two people with deep secrets. Was Ethan truly the man we thought he was? Surprisingly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the impenetrable wealthiest man in the city. Would he find out that Janet married him in place of her sister? Would their marriage be a romantic tale or an utter disaster? Read on to unravel Janet and Ethan's journey.